Child&#39;s toy musical instrument



2 SHEETS SHEET l Filed Jan. 7, 1948 i EH e j mmmmmnmnmnmm 4-i @Pk/2 f'r-f Oct. 23, 1951 D, ROSENHElM 2,572,818

CHILD'S TOY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 7, 1948 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 fa f7 INVENTOR. Q4 wa @jaw/7M Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Lapin Products, Inc., Ne

tion of New York Wark, N. J., a corpora- Application January 7, 1948, Serial No. 908

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to a toy and it particularly relates to a childrens harmonica toy.

It is among the objects of the present invention to make a harmonica entirely molded of plastic materials which will stand rough usage and have as few elements as possible and which at the same time may be assembled inexpensively i from few parts.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found most satisfactory, according to one embodiment of the present invention, to form a harmonica of two casing elements, each casing element molded in one piece of plastic and an intermediate reed element also molded in one piece. These pieces are so formed that they may be readily assembled together with assurance of correct positioning in relation to each other.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed and as to its other objects, features and advantages, the mode of operation .and manner of its organization, these, inter alia, may be better understood by referring to the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the harmonica upon the line I-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a front edge elevational view;

Fig. 3 is an edge elevational view upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a back elevational view upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view upon the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 'I-l of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the various parts before assembly; and

Fig. 9 is a top perspective view showing one method of forming the reed plates.

Referring to Figs. l to 9, the toy mouth organ consists of an upper casing member A, an intermediate reed plate B and a lower casing C.

The casing member A has the side members I0 and a central elevated portion I I curving upwardly to the rear as indicated at I2. The members |0 of casing member A interiorly have the depending end walls I3, the front walls I 4, the rear walls I5 and the inside walls I6 which form a cage around the depending studs or nipples I1.

The walls I3, I 4, I5 and I6 form a cage around the studs or nipples II.

The central portion II has the rear wall I8, the oblique wall I9 and the varying length walls 20 to 3| forming the sound chambers 32 to 44.

The lower casing member B has the end portions 60 and the central portion 6| sloping outwardly and downwardly as indicated at 62. The rear edge 63 is provided with spacer points 64 for contacting the reed plate B.

The side or end elements 60 have the end walls 65, the front walls 66, the inside walls 6l and the rear walls 68. The central portion 6| has the front wall 69.

Along the walls 61 and 69 are the ledges or l reed plate supports l0 and 'I|. 6l is notched as at l2.

Inside of the walls, 65, 66 and 6l, are the mounds 'I3 with the recesses I4 for receiving the ends of the nipples II.

The reed plate B has the alternately upwardly extending and downwardly extending reeds to |02 which cover the slots |03 to |I5. These slots increase in length from left to right as do the chambers 32 to 44. The end of the plate B has an outstanding lug III fitting into the recess or notch 'I2 which will locate it when the plate B is placed upon the ledges 'I0 and 1|.

The bases or roots |25 of the reeds 90 to |02 extend beyond the ends of the slots |03 to ||5 substantially to the forward and rear edges |26 and |2'I of the reed plate B. 'I'hey may be glued on or molded on integrally.

The reeds 90 to |02 as shown in Fig. 10 have oblique sides |28 and are slightly narrower than the slots |03 to |I5 as indicated by the spacing |29. Similarly the oblique ends |30 of reeds 90 to |02 are slightly short of the ends of the slots I 03 to ||5 as indicated by the clearance I3I. The enlargements |32 on the ends |30 of the reeds 90 to |02 will vary to give such weight to the reed as will produce the desired tone.

The elements A, B and C may all be molded integrally in the manner indicated in Fig. 9 which shows molding of the reed plates B by way of example. The reed plates B may be molded by injection molding. The device formed in the mold will have the form shown in Fig. 9 with the central inlet, section |50, the transverse flow section |5I, the nal inlet ilow sections |52 and the molded reed plates B. When the mold is opened, sections |50, |5| and |52 are removed and the reed plates B may be broken olf. The mold cavity may be made in sections correspond-A One of the walls ing to the number of sound chambers 32 to 44 and reeds 90 to |02.

In assembly, the edges of the walls I3, I4, i5, I6, I8, I9 and 20 to 3l, as well as the end of the nipple I'I are wetted with an adhesive or plastic solvent and then pressed against the sube assembly of the plate B and base C, A short contact will result in a permanent and durable connection.

As clearly appears, the harmonica of the pres-l ent invention, which may be made of three elements, namely the upper casing memberrA, the reed plate B and the lower casing C, by injection-molding of polystyrene, after cementing will form a substantially integral one-piece unit as shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

As. many changes could be made the above childrens toy musical instrument, and many ap-v parently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from ther scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:`

1. A three-piece toy childrens plastic mouth organ comprising an upper plastic casing, a lower plastic casing and an intermediate plastic reed plate, said reed plate being clamped between said casings one of said casings being closed at the front and having openings at the rear and the other of said casings being closed at the rear and having openings at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawn out of the casings and said rear openings affording access to an elongated chamber closed at one side by the reed plate and said casings being cemented together to form closed compartments atv the ends and at the rear of the reed plate and the slots in said reed plate having straight parallel sides and the sides of said reeds being bevelled so that the sides of the reeds will con verge together away from the slots.

2. A three-piece toy childrens plastic mouth organ comprising an upper plastic cas-ing',l a lower plastic casing and an intermediate plastic. reedl plate, `said reedV plate being clamped between said casings, said casings forming end attache ment boxes and a plurality of sound chambers of varying transverse, length being formed be! tween one. of -said casings. and the reed plate oneI of said casings being closed at the frcnt and having openings at the rear and the other of said casings being closed at the rear and have ing openings at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawn out of the casings and said. rear openings aordns access to an elongated chamber closed at one side by the reed plate and said casings being cemented together to. form closed compartments at the ends and at theI rear of thereed plate and the slots in Said reed plate having straight. parallel sides. and the sides o f. said reeds beine bevelled se that the sides of the reeds will converge trigether away from the slots 3,-. A three-piece. toy childrens plastic mcuth organ comprising upper plastic casing, a lower plastic casing ,and an intermediate plastic reed 4 plate, said reed plate being clamped between said casings, one of said casings being cemented ings having a notch and lug connection to x the reed plate in respect to the casings one of said casings being closed at the front and having openings at the rear and the other of said casings being closed at the rear and having openings at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawn out of the casings and said rear openings affording access to an elongated chamber closed at one side by the reed plate and said casings being cemented together to form closed compartments at the ends and at the rear of the reed plate and the slots in said reed plate having straight parallel sides and the sides of said reeds being bevelled so that the sides of the reeds will converge tcgether away from the slots.

4. A three-piece toy childrens plastic mouth organ comprising an upper plastic casing, a lower` plastic casing and an intermediate plastic reed plate, said reed plate being clamped between said casings, said reed plate being cemented to one of said casings and not to the other casing one of said casings being closed at the front and having openings at the rear and the other of said casings being closed at the rear and having openings at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawn out of the casings and said rear openings affording access to an elongated chamber closed at one side by the reed plate and said casings being cemented together to for-m closed compartments at the ends and at the rear of the reed plate and the slots in said reed plate having straight parallel sides and the sides of said reeds being bevelled so that the sides of the reeds will converge together away from the slots.

5, A three-piece toy childrens plastic mouth organ comprising an upper plastic casing, a lower plastic casing and an intermediate plastic reed plate, said reed plate being clamped between said casings, one of said casingsr being cemented independently to the reed plate and other casing one of; said casings being closed at the front and having openings at the rear and the other of said casings being closed at the rear and halfing openings at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawn out of the casings and said rear openings affording access to an elongated chamber closed at one side by the reed plate and said casings being cemented to,- gether to, form closed compartments at the ends and at the rear of the reed plate and the slots in said reed plate having straight parallel sides and the sides of said reeds being bevelled so that the sides of the reeds will converge together away from the slots, d

6. A three-piece toy harmonica comprising two. plasticl casing elements and a plastic reed plate clamped therebetween, said reed plate having a plurality of closely spaced slots and integrally molded reeds alternately extending over andr under said slots one of said casings being closed at the, front and having openings at, the real? andy the, other of said casings being closed at the. rear and having openings; at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawnv out of the casingsI and said rear openings aiordrlgr access tc an elongated chamber closedA ats one. side by the. reed plate and said casings being cemented together to form closed compartments at the ends and at the rear of the reed plate and the slots in said reed plate having straight parallel sides and the sides of said reeds being bevelled so that the sides of the reeds will converge together away fromr the slots.

7. A three-piece toy harmonica comprising two plastic casing elements and a plastic reed plate clamped therebetween, said reed plate having a plurality of closely spaced slots and integrally molded reeds alternately extending over and under said slots, said reed plate being adhesively connected to one of said casing elements one of said casings being closed at the front and having openings at the rear and the other of said casings being closed at the rear and having openings at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawn out of the casings and said rear openings affording access to an elongated chamber closed at one side by the reed plate and said casings being cemented together to form closed compartments at the ends and at the rear of the reed plate and the slots in said reed plate having straight parallel sides and the sides of said reeds being bevelled so that the sides of the reeds will converge together away from the slots.

8, A three-piece toy harmonica comprising two plastic casing elements and a plastic reed plate clamped therebetween, said reed plate having a plurality of closely spaced slots and integrally molded reeds alternately extending over and under said slots, the reeds of said reed plate having bevelled side edges and having slight edge clearance in respect to said slots one of said casings being closed at the front and having openings at the rear and the other of said casings being closed at the rear and having openings at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawn out of the casings and said rear openings affording access to an elongated chamber closed at one side by the reed plate and said casings being cemented together to form closed compartments at the ends and at the rear of the reed plate and the slots in said reed plate having straight parallel sides and the sides of said reeds being bevelled sc that the sides of the reeds will converge together away from the slots.

9. A three-piece toy harmonica comprising two plastic casing elements and a plastic reed plate clamped therebetween, said reed plate having a plurality of closely spaced slots and integrally molded reeds alternately extending over and under said slots, one of said casings being recessed to receive said reed plate one of said casings being closed at the front and having openings at the rear and the other of said casings being closed at the rear and having openings at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawn out of the casings and said rear openings affording access to an elongated chamber closed at one side by the reed plate and said casings being cemented together to form closed compartments at the ends and at the rear of the reed plate and the slots in said reed plate having straight parallel sides and the sides of said reeds being bevelled so that the sides of the reeds will converge together away from the slots.

10. A three-piece toy harmonica. comprising two plastic casing elements, and a plastic reed plate clamped therebetween, said reed plate having a plurality of closely spaced slots and integrally molded reeds alternately extending over and under said slots, one of said casings having a recess and said reed plate having a location controlling lug fitting into said recess controlling the assembly of said reed with said casings one of said casings being closed at the front and having openings at the rear and the other of said casings being closed at the rear and having openings at the front, said front openings permitting spaced and separated streams of air to be forced into and drawn out of the casings and f said rear openings affording access to an elongated chamber closed at one side by the reed plate and said casings being cemented together to form closed compartments at the ends and at the rear of the reed plate and the slots in said reed plate having straight parallel sides and the sides of said reeds being bevelled so that the sides of the reeds will converge together away from the slots.

11. A childrens molded plastic toy harmonica comprising a three-piece molded plastic construction consisting of a single injection-molded reed plate and upper and lower injection-molded casings integrally cemented together and to the reed plate, the upper casing having a non-perforate back wall and a front wall with a plurality of openings to enable blowing of air thereinto or drawing of air therefrom by the mouth of the user and separating transverse walls integral with said upper casing and rearwardly from said openings and forming said openings, and said lower casing having a non-perforate front wall and a perforate rear wall with a plurality of openings without separating walls whereby the lower casing forms one large chamber extending inwardly from the rear of the harmonica, and the upper casing forms a plurality of small non-communicating transverse chambers positioned side by side extending inwardly from the front of the harmonica,'the reed plate separating said chambers and said reed plate having a reed and slot combination corresponding to each transverse chamber and constituting the only means of communication between said chambers within the harmonica. said reed and slot combinations including a slot with straight side walls and a reed overlying said slot with bevelled end edges slightly spaced inside of the sides and ends of said slots.

DAVID ROSENHEIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 235,281 Oenger Dec. 7, 1880 314,235 Gally Mar. 24, 1885 478,514 Lawrence July 5, 1892 2,228,058 Lederi'lne Jan. 7, 1941 2,373,129 Magnus Apr. 10, 1945 2,407,312 Magnus Sept. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 69,592 Australia cf 1915 OTHER REFERENCES Article on pages 76 and 104 of Plastics for November 1944. 

